Suspension device for curtains



June 20, 1967 J. sTRdwms SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR CURTAINS s Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Aug. 10, 1964 l in 2 7 Ea in I ml June 20, 1967 J. STROWEIS 3,325,853

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR CURTAINS Filed Aug. 10, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 8 1 A INVENTOR. JEROME STROWEIS ATTORNEYS.

Filed Aug. 10, 1964 June 20, 1967 J. STROWEIS 3,325,853

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR CURTAINS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JEROME STROWEIS ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Oliice 3,325,853 Patented June 20, 1967 Claims. 61. 16-87.2)

The present invention refers to a suspension device or hanger for curtains, the device being of the kind comprising a number of superposed annular support elements unitary with a hooked upright disposed vertically in the working position, and the invention concerns the provision of a device of this kind which is very simple and economic to manufacture and is particularly convenient to use.

In accordance with this invention, the suspension device or hanger comprises a hooked upright having at one side a plurality of projecting arms of flexible material and at the opposite side an attaching element opposed to each said arm, the free end of each arm being formed with catch means suitable for fastening to a corresponding attaching element after bending back of the arm.

By passing each to said arms through loops or gussets provided in a head band of a curtain to be hung, at points spaced apart relative to one another, it is possible to form and thread on the said arms a large number of successive folds or pleats of the head band and of the curtain which, after the arms are bent back and their ends engaged in the attaching elements, are held without being able to escape.

In order to be able to control or adjust the gripping of the pleats of the curtain threaded on the curved-back arms, and to obtain a mounting comparable with that produced by the manual work of an upholsterer, each of the flexible arms is preferably provided with a number of catch means, such as notches spaced apart from one another along the length of the arm.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, to prevent the hanger or suspension device from twisting about its vertical axis and in this way cause jamming of the slide or runner by which it is suspended from the curtain rod, the suspension device or hanger may be provided on each side of its hook, with stays extending laterally and terminating in hooks suitable for engaging in the loops or gussets of the unpleated part of the head band of the curtain, to act as stabilising elements.

To prevent escape of the arms already fitted and threaded through the loops or gussets of the curtain headband during assembling, each of the flexible arms is advantageously provided at its free end with an enlarged head of which the tip is pointed and which forms at the rear shoulders relative to the major part of the arm.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a hanger or suspension device in accordance with the present invention, in the condition before use;

FIG. 2 is a back view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view;

FIG. 4 is a plan view;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the hanger or suspension device in the condition of use with the pleats or folds of a curtain engaged thereon;

FIG. 6 is a side View of a second embodiment of a 'hanger or suspension device in accordance with the present invention, in the condition before use;

FIG. 7 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows diagrammatically, part of a head band of a curtain suitable for being used in conjunction with a hanger or suspension device herein described;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a third embodiment of a hanger or suspension device according to the presentinvention, in the condition before use;

- FIG. 10 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the hanger or suspension device of FIGS. 9 and 10 in the condition of use with the folds or pleats of the curtain engaged therein;

FIG. 12 is a side View of a fourth embodiment of a hanger or suspension device in accordance with the invention, ijn the condiiton before use;

FIG. 13 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 12;

FIGS. 14 and 15 are horizontal sections, respectively along the lines XIV-XIV and XV-XV of FIG. 12, of the hanger or suspension device in the condition of use, with the curtain folds or pleats engaged thereon; and

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a hanger or suspension device in accordance with the invention.

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 to 5 of the drawings, throughout which like parts are denoted by like reference numerals, the hanger or suspension device of this embodiment of the invention comprises a supporting upright or riser 1 equipped at its rear with a hook 2 adapted to be engaged with the eye of a slide or runnerof a curtain rod.

On one side, the upright 1 carries a stem 3 from which extend perpendicularly forwards rods or arms 4 of a flexible and elastic material. On the other side, the upright 1 has securing elements 5 corresponding in number to the rods or arms and each at the level of one of the latter. In the embodiment shown, the securing elements 5 are eyelet containing lugs, each eyelet being a longitudinally extending, oblong hole.

Each rod 4 has near its free end, attaching means consisting in the present embodiment of a reduced part 6 followed by a head 7 tapering to a point or rounded end, the head having an elongated cross-section corresponding with that of the oblong hole in the element 5, but set crosswise with reference to the latter.

By bending the rods or arms 4, as is shown in FIG. 5, and twisting the head 7 of each thereof through so as to bring the longer dimension of its cross-section into the horizontal, the heads 7 can be passed through the oblong holes in the elements 5 until the constricted parts 6 of the stems are within the holes, after which the heads 7 straighten and engage behind the elements 5.

The turning of the heads 7 when they are passed through the oblong holes in the elements 5 can be effected automatically, for instance by making the holes in these elements in the form of a helical funnel, or making therein a spiral groove which causes the head 7 to turn as it is being inserted into the hole.

The device is advantageously moulded of a synthetic plastic material. It is possible to mould the rods or arms 9 a 4 of a flexible and preferably elastic material, and to mould the remainder of the device of a rigid material, but it is more economical to mould the whole of the device of the same material. In such case, the rods 4 will be flexible by reason of their small cross-section, while the remainder of the device will have the necessary rigidity by reason of its greater thickness. The flexibility of the rods 4 may also be increased by submitting same to a suitable treatment.

In order to hang a curtain by means of devices according to the invention, use is preferably made of a curtain head band provided with buttonholes, loops or gussets, for the passage of the rods or arms 4. FIG. 8 shows diagrammatically a part of a curtain head band 8 provided with loops 9 formed of threads woven in such manner so as to resist without slipping, horizontal as well as vertical pulls. These loops 9 are preferably of a different shade or hue to that of the head band 8, which makes them more easily visible and facilitates the threading of the rods 4 of the hanger or suspension device. It is further advantageous to provide such loops 9 on both sides of the curtain head band, which facilitates the utilisation of the latter.

FIG. 5 shows the folding or pleating of a curtain effected by threading the rods or arms 4 through the loops 9 of a curtain head-band 8, bending back the rods or arms 4 and hooking their ends 7 through the slots in the elements 5.

Threading of the rods or arms 4 through the loops of the head band is very easy because of the fact that these rods are orginally rectilinear. After bending back the rods or arms 4 and hooking their ends 7 into the eyelets of the elements 5, the result is a ring which has a semi-circular form, as shown in FIG. 5. This shape is exceedingly advantageous because of the fact that a large number of pleats or folds can be accommodated, the pleats can be closely disposed at the rear and can be spread apart towards the front.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 5, the hook 2 is located below the upper end of the upright or riser 1, thus providing a so-called Flemish hanger, in which the head end of the curtain masks the runners and the cur tain rod.

If a normal suspension is desired, use is made of a device fashioned in the manner shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in which the suspension hook 2a is located at the upper end of the upright or riser 1. Otherwise, this device is similar to that described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

In the examples described and represented, the suspension devices comprise three rods or arms 4 and three eye letted elements 5, but it is of course possible to provide only two rods and eyeletted elements, or a greater number of these members.

Instead of the means of hooking the heads 7 in the eyeletted elements 5 as shown, it is of course possible to use any other suitable method of attachment, for instance an attachment of the press-button type.

The heads of the rods or arms 4 may be pointed in a manner to enable them to pass through the fabric of the 7 head band or the curtain itself, without having recourse to loops or gussets.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the device may be equipped at the level of each of the rods 4, not with a single eyelet, but with two or more thereof located side by side, which enables the selection, when fitting, of a closer or looser drawing together of the folds or pleats threaded on the device.

Finally, the rods or arms 4, instead of being disposed perpendicularly to the principal part 1, 3 of the device, as is most clearly shown in FIG. 4, can be initially set in the plane of the principal part 1, 3, or at an obtuse angle to the latter, the bases of the rods or arms 4 in this event being shaped, for instance through the mechanism of notches, in such manner as to enable thae rods to be bent forwardly and then be bent back upon themselves and fastened by their ends in the eyeletted elements 5.

In the embodiment represented in FIGS. 9 to 11, the device comprises an upright or riser 1' having at its rear a hook 2 adapted to engage in the eyelet of a slide or runner of the rod carrying the curtain.

On one side, this upright or riser carries rods or arms 4 of a flexible and elastic material. On the other side, the riser 1' has at the level of each such arm, a hole 5 into which the corresponding rod can be inserted and hooked in a manner which will be described hereinafter.

Each of the rods or arms 4 has a tapered end 7 and a number of attaching means such as notches or reduced portions 6 disposed at spaced intervals along its length.

In order to hang a curtain by means of the device which has just been described, the rods or arms 4 are threaded through the loops or gussets 9 of the head band 8 of the curtain, which is set in folds or pleats as shown in FIG. 11, after which the heads 7 of the rods or arms 4 are passed by their heads 7 through the holes 5' and the heads 7 of the rods or arms 4' are drawn backuntil the required locking is obtained at the base of the pleats of the head band 8, this locking being maintained by hooking one of the notches 6 of each rod in the corresponding hole 5'.

The holes 5 are preferably so curved that the ends 7 of the rods 4' issue almost or substantially parallel to the plane of the unpleated part of the curtain.

To prevent untimely detachment of the hook 2' from the eyelet of the slide or runner to which it has been attached, the end of the arm of this hook is preferably provided with a hook end 10 to engage appropriately a corresponding part 11 of the suspension device.

Since, when the curtain is drawn, pull is not applied in the plane of the hook 2 attached to the eyelet of the slide or runner of the curtain rod, the suspension device or hanger tends to turn about its vertical axis and thereby also causes a turning of the runner which is thereby then jammed in the curtain rod. To eliminate this disadvantage, the hanger or suspension device is equipped on each side of its hook 2, with stays or braces 12 which extend laterally and terminate in hooks 13. When the curtain is hung as shown in FIG. 11, the hooks 13 are engaged in loops 9 of the unpleated part of the head band of the curtain 8, thus steadying the hanger or suspension device which no longer tends to turn about its vertical axis when the curtain is drawn or pulled.

As regards a hanger or suspension device fitted at an end of a curtain, the stay 12 in excess can be removed, for instance by cutting it off.

To maintain the folds or pleats on the head band of the curtain 8 in the required shape and position on the hangers or suspension device, stiffening plates 15 (FIG. 11), which may be extensible, can be inserted into these folds or pleats, and be arranged to hook on to the hanger or suspension device.

FIGS. 12 to 15 show another embodiment of the invention in which the flexible rods or arms 4" themselves act as steadying elements preventing the hanger or suspension device from turning about its vertical axis when the curtain is pulled or drawn. In this embodiment, the flexible rods or arms 4" are arranged alternately at different sides of the upright or riser 1", and the corresponding holes 5" are arranged accordingly. These rods 4" are longer than those of the immediately preceding embodiment and each ends in a book 14.

When a head band 8 of a curtain is fitted on the suspension device as can be seen in FIGS. 14 and 15, and the rods 4" are threaded through the holes 5" and locked under the desired tension, the projecting ends of the rods are sufficiently long to enable the hooks 14 to be engaged in the loops or gussets 9 of the unpleated or unfolded parts of the head band of the curtain 8, on each side of the hanger or suspension device, this attachment forming an obstacle to rotation of the hanger or suspension device when the curtain is drawn or pulled.

The device shown in FIG. 16 comprises a supporting upright or riser 1 having at its rear a hook 2 intended to be engaged in the eye of a slide or runner of the curtain rod or rail carrying the curtain, the hook 2' having at its end a catch suitable for engagement with a corresponding part 11 of the upright or riser 1'.

On the one side, the upright or riser carries the rods or arms 4a of a flexible or elastic material, while on the other side the upright or riser has, at the level of each rod or arm 4a, a hole or passage 5' into which the cor responding rod can be inserted and secured by one of the ribs 6 formed on its edge.

Each rod 4a has at its end an enlarged head of which the end 21 is tapered and forms shoulders 22 relative to the major part of the rod or arm 4a. The heads 20 preferably have openings 23, to enable them to be squeezed laterally when being passed through the holes 5.

The device is shown in FIG. 16 with its first rod 4a threaded by means of its head 20 through several loops 9 of the pleated curtain head band 8, It can be seen that the shoulders 22 of the head 20 prevent the latter from accidentally escaping from the loops 9 while the heads 20 of the other rods or arms 4a are being threaded through the loops 9 of other rows of loops on the curtain head band 8.

The shoulders 22 are sloped in such manner as to form an obtuse angle with the corresponding longitudinal edge of the rod 4a. By virtue of this shape, it is easy to withdraw the heads 20 from the loops 9 of the band 8 when it is desired to remove the device for use elsewhere or for any other reason.

The shape of the heads 20 shown in FIG. 16 is merely exemplary and the invention embraces any other shape of head suitable for the intended purpose.

It is of course understood that the embodiments which have been described and shown are merely exemplary and that the invention embraces any other embodiments making use of equivalent means.

I claim:

1. A suspension device for curtains having parallel rows of hanger openings along a head band, comprising an elongated body, a suspension hook on the back of said body and supporting said body in an upright position when said hook is mounted on a curtain rod or runner, a plurality of spaced flexible arms extending laterally from said body for individually threading through a plurality of the curtain hanger openings, catch means on each of said arms near the free ends thereof, said body having a plurality of attaching means at the side thereof opposite said arms, there being an attaching means for each arm and at substantially the same level on said body as the respective arm, each attaching means being cooperative with the catch means on the respective arm to retain the arm in looped position in front of said body with a curtain suspended thereon, whereby the curtain may be arranged in a series of pleats extending radially from said looped arms, and a plurality of additional catch means spaced along said arms for engaging and spacing the curtain hanger openings therealong to retain the pleats in spaced relation around the looped arms.

2. A suspension device for curtains having parallel rows of hanger openings along a head band, comprising a body portion including an elongated body and a suspension hook on the back of said body and supporting said body in an upright position when said hook is mounted on a curtain rod or runner, a plurality of spaced flexible arms extending laterally from said body for individually threading through a plurality of the curtain hanger openings, catch means on each of said arms near the free ends thereof, said body having a plurality of attaching means at the side thereof opposite said arms, there being an attaching means for each arm and at substantially the same level on said body as the respective arm, each attaching front of said body with a curtain suspended thereon,.

whereby the curtain may be arranged in a series of pleats extending radially from said looped arms, stays extending laterally from said body portion for engaging the curtain head band, and a hook on the end of each stay for engaging in a curtain hanger opening spaced from said body to prevent twisting of said device.

3. A suspension device for curtains having parallel rows of hanger openings along a head band, comprising an elongated body, a suspension hook on the back of said body and supporting said body in an upright position when said hook is mounted on a curtain rod or runner, a plurality of spaced flexible arms extending laterally from said body for individually threading through a plurality of the curtain hanger openings, catch means on each of said arms spaced from the free ends thereof, said body having a plurality of passages opening at one end through the front of said body at the side thereof opposite said arms, there being a passage for each arm and at substan tially the same level on said body as the respective arm, each passage being cooperative with the catch means on the respective arm to retain the arm in looped position in front of said body with a curtain suspended thereon, whereby the curtain may be arranged in a series of pleats extending radially from said looped arms, the other ends of said passages opening through the back and toward the side of said body adjacent said arms so that the free ends of said arms extend laterally of said body to engage the curtain head band, some of said arms extending from one side of said body and other of said arms extending from the other side of said body and said passages correspondingly located so that the free ends of said arms engage the curtain on both sides of said body, and a hook on the free end of each arm for engaging in a curtain hanger opening spaced from said body to prevent twisting of said device.

4. A suspension device for curtains having parallel rows of hanger openings along a head band, comprising an elongated body, a suspension hook on the back of said body and supporting said body in an upright position when said hook is mounted on a curtain rod or runner, a plurality of spaced flexible arms extending laterally from said body for individually threading through a plurality of the curtain hanger openings, an enlarged head on each of said arms near the free ends thereof, said body having a plurality of passages opening at the side thereof opposite said arms, there being a passage for each arm and at substantially the same level on said body as the respective arm, each passage being cooperative with the head on the respective arm to retain the arm in looped position in front of said body with a curtain suspended thereon, whereby the curtain may be arranged in a series of pleats extending radially from said looped arms, said heads each having a tapered tip and rearwardly disposed shoulders inclined at an obtuse angle relative to the longitudinal edges of the respective arm.

5. A suspension device for curtains having parallel rows of hanger openings along a head band, comprising an elongated body, a suspension hook on the back of said body and supporting said body in an upright position when said hook is mounted on a curtain rod or runner, a plurality of spaced flexible arms extending laterally from said body for individually threading through a plurality of the curtain hanger openings, an enlarged head on each of said arms near the free ends thereof, and said body having a plurality of passages at the side thereof opposite said arms, there being a passage for each arm and at substantially the same level on said body as the respec-' tive arm, each passage being cooperative with the head on the respective arm to retain the arm in looped position in front of said body with a curtain suspended thereon, whereby the curtain may be arranged in a series of pleats extending radially from said looped arms, each said head having an opening therein to enable collapsing of said 1336 905 head to facilitate its insertion through the respective pas- 1147:430 sage 811,973

References 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 59,846

8 FOREIGN PATENTS MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. J. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR CURTAINS HAVING PARALLEL ROWS OF HANGER OPENINGS ALONG A HEAD BAND, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BODY, A SUSPENSION HOOK ON THE BACK OF SAID BODY AND SUPPORTING SAID BODY IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WHEN SAID HOOK IS MOUNTED ON A CURTAIN ROD OR RUNNER, A PLURALITY OF SPACED FLEXIBLE ARMS EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID BODY FOR INDIVIDUALLY THREADING THROUGH A PLURALITY OF THE CURTAIN HANGER OPENINGS, CATCH MEANS ON EACH OF SAID ARMS NEAR THE FREE ENDS THEREOF, SAID BODY HAVING A PLURALITY OF ATTACHING MEANS AT THE SIDE THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID ARMS, THERE BEING AN ATTACHING MEANS FOR EACH ARM AND AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME LEVEL ON SAID BODY AS THE RESPECTIVE ARM, EACH ATTACHING MEANS BEING COOPERATIVE WITH THE CATCH MEANS ON THE RESPECTIVE ARM TO RETAIN THE ARM IN LOOPED POSITION IN FRONT OF SAID BODY WITH A CURTAIN SUSPENDED THEREON, WHEREBY THE CURTAIN MAY BE ARRANGED IN A SERIES OF PLEATS EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM SAID LOOPED ARMS, AND A PLURALITY OF ADDITIONAL CATCH MEANS SPACED ALONG SAID ARMS FOR ENGAGING AND SPACING THE CURTAIN HANGER OPENINGS THEREALONG TO RETAIN THE PLEATS IN SPACED RELATION AROUND THE LOOPED ARMS. 